Similarities Between Hanseeatic League And Swahili Trading Nations

While the Hanseatic League controlled trade in Europe around the Post-Classical era, and the Swahili trading states controlled Africa, both had similarities in the way they were run, as well as several differences. While both of these trading communities were at the height of their power, many other countries were facing similar times of strength. Europe was past feudalism with the attacks of the Vikings ceasing, and was entering the third stage of the Renaissance, exiting the High Middle Ages. The Mongols also had significant power, and controlled much of Asia and the Middle East. They also controlled the trade in those areas, much like the Hanseatic League and Swahili trading cities did. Also in Africa was still Muslim power, which

Document two is a picture that comes from the British Museum, which should work to educate people in an unbiased manner. The document is a picture of artifacts and, more importantly, coins from China that were found in the Swahili coast. Because it is only a picture, it shows nothing but pure factual information. The use of coins suggests that trade was not quite important or common enough to use paper money instead. China started using paper money instead of coins once trade was so important and common that coins often were too heavy for traders to carry in large quantities. Clearly, if China was not using paper money yet, the trade in the Swahili states was not fully developed yet, or it was not very common. Document three is a chart from the time of the Hanseatic League, written by men in North Germany, where the Hanseatic League was based. This shows what the Hanseatic League commanded their guilds to supply. This document lists the workers that made the town’s defense, and also states the total number of people with those in guilds. This shows how important the city’s defense was to Europe. It was made most likely when feudalism was still in existence, as that was when defense was much more important than economic endeavors. Feudalism makes trade less important to cities. This shows that people who are involved in defense had somewhat of a greater importance to guild members. Document seven is written by the Hanseatic League in Rome in a discussion about war with Denmark and Norway. The members are talking to each other about what bad things the kings have done to them. The document talks about “the wrongs and injuries which the kings of Denmark and Norway have inflicted and do still inflict upon Hanseatic merchants” and how they have become enemies. At this point in time, Europe should be mostly out of feudalism, so merchants like the Hanseatic League should have more